Tulipa thracica
Tulipa thracica Davidov
Tulipa hageri Heldr.1, 5
Liliaceae – Lily family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B2ab(i,ii,iv,v)]. BDA.
Morphology and biology. Perennial bulbous herbs. The bulb ovoid-conical, the tunic reddish brown. The stem up to 40 cm high, erect. Leaves 3–7, glabrous, longer than the stem. Perianth bell-shaped, up to 3 cm in diameter; perianth-segments equal, elliptical, subacute, red with pale yellow band outside, pale pink with thin blue violet basal blotch inside, hairless. Filaments violet, in the bottom and in the apex yellow, anthers rusty brawn. Fruit a cylindrical capsule. Fl. IV–V, fr. VI–VII. Reproduction by vegetative means and rarely by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Inhabits light grassy and shrubby places with shallow, stony, only silicate soils. Occurs rarely, with solitary distant individuals or forming groups of several or great number of individuals.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Black Sea coast (southern – lower part of the Ropotamo River, around the town of Primorsko, Sosopol, Kiten, Varvara, Rossen villages).
General distribution. Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Turkey.
Threats. Developing tourist building in the area, gathering for decoration, Trampling of plants by tourists, gathering the bulbs for commercial and other purposes, not numerous populations.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. Some of the localities are within Ropotamo Strict Nature Reserve, Bakarlaka and Murvatska Reka Protekted Sites, and in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Investigation of the numerical strength and area of the populations, biology and ecology of the species, and development of an Action plan for the species. Information campaign for the conservation value in order to limit the gathering of plants and bulbs, security guard in the blossoming period. Ex situ conservation actions.
Note. In the taxonomic literature this taxon is accepted as Tulipa orphanidea Boiss. ex Heldr.
References. Kitanov 1964; Delipavlov 1984.
Authors: Dimitar Peev, Sonya Tsoneva
